Looking for a fun way to meet new people, get some exercise and enjoy a meal?
Ride & Dine is a monthly bicycle ride coordinated by Game Changers Bike and Multisport that begins and ends at a local business, typically offering food and beverages.
Ryan Peters, one of the business’s partners, said employee Sammy Jo Bonnell is the brainchild behind the activity.
“She came up with the idea and we gave her the freedom to roll with it,” he said. “We believe in our team and we believe that by giving them autonomy to create programs like Ride & Dine will empower them to new levels of personal growth.”
Peters said the idea is a success so far.
“Participants really enjoy the ride and the businesses that have hosted us have been very accommodating. From couples having a fitness-oriented date night to the usual Saturday group riders, attendance has been growing with each event.”
John Cameron, another partner in the company, said there are numerous studies that show cycling activities bring increased revenue and jobs to the local economy.
“The North Carolina Outer Banks area generates $60 million annually from bicycle-related activities which supports 1,400 jobs in the area,” he said. “Richmond Hill is very wise in their plans to add bike lanes to Highway 144, cut in bike trails in the new park, and support the Georgia Coastal Greenway.”
The first two Ride & Dine events were hosted by Fish Tales and Marker 107.
The Ice Cream Stop will host the next event on Sept. 14 and will feature a light dinner, an ice cream dessert and a bike-related movie afterward.
“You may ask, how can a little ride down the road and a great meal with friends make such a difference?” Bonnell said. “When you see the faces of cyclists at the end of our group ride, you see pure happiness and exhilaration. They are all connected and they take that positive energy out into the world and share it with the ones they love.
Ride & Dine is open to anybody who can ride 15 to 20 miles and hold a 13 to 15 mph pace.
“It is not a fast group and we don't expect it to be,” Bonnell said. “The point is to ride and enjoy life together on two wheels and that is absolutely contagious.”
Call Game Changers Bike and Multisport at (912) 445-0247 for more information.